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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30040047">As The Flowers Bloom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soft_dreams/pseuds/Soft_dreams'>Soft_dreams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, Chronic Illness, Cis Shiro (Voltron), Forced Feminization, Happy Ending, M/M, Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, but in a non-sexual way, time spent in hospital</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:21:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,575</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30040047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soft_dreams/pseuds/Soft_dreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shiro is faced with a choice, one he could never possibly make. In the wake of their guilt, his parents take that choice away. will he be able to learn to love a complete stranger?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>As The Flowers Bloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>''orz<br/>here it is, my commission piece for @/Sleepinthru on Twitter! Some very soft Arranged marriage Sheith! i had a lot of fun writing this one!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The snow was a powerful symbol, or at least that's what Shiro always believed.<br/> It signified the end of something but as the world warmed, and the ice began to melt. it brought forth new life in the spring. Whether it was long forgotten seeds or creatures that had gone to sleep for the harsh barren months- spring always came with something beautiful and worthwhile.<br/><br/> December in Japan, or at least in his part out in the countryside, was harsh. It was hell on his joints and caused more flair-ups than usual, but he'd be damned if he didn't love it out there.</p>
<p> When it came right down to it he knew he could deal with one bad month a year as opposed to the bad weeks or months he'd have back in the city working a salary job. However, his stubbornness would become him.<br/> His parents had wanted him to move back into the city, more than anything, find a nice girl and settle down, and went he refused they threatened to stop paying for the house in the country.</p>
<p>It left him distraught looking at the three paths that lay before him and in the end, it was far too much for him. It wasn’t like any of them were particularly good choices.<br/> His stomach twisted, heart pounding hard and fast in his ears as his back picked with painful hives-<br/>The last thing Shiro remembered was the floor, hard and cold as it met him face first.<br/><br/> <br/>                            *`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`*</p>
<p><br/><br/> When he woke up he'd found himself at the rural hospital, about halfway through his town but bordering the edge of the nearby mountain ridge.<br/>His hands hurt, so tight and tense that he couldn't even bend them enough to hit his call button.</p>
<p>How had he gotten here? He wondered, his heart beating in his ears. He was grateful, no doubt about it, but anxious that he'd have to have a conversation he really didn't want to have. If it had been his parents checking in on him, that meant he had already run out of time to think over his options.</p>
<p>How was he supposed to pick;<br/> should he move into the city and be stressed out, or get married to someone he couldn’t love and be stressed out, or failing those two options he could always be homeless...<em>and be stressed out</em>.<br/>There was no reality in which he came out of this situation on top and it was time he accepted that.<br/>no matter how much he hated it and wanted nothing to do with it.<br/><br/></p>
<p>He could already feel his skin prickle as another painful episode started to creep up on him yet there was nothing he could do with all his cords attached to him.</p>
<p> Shiro rested his head back into his pillow, turning his gaze out the window as he watched the snowfall.<br/>The soft beep of the machine soothed him in a way he didn't think was possible. At that moment it was the only thing that made sense to him, it was familiar and safe.<br/> Unlike all the choices he was faced with he knew that this bed, the hospital, and that machine all wanted the best for him.<br/>That wasn't something he could say about any future partner or job. There was no promise that they would be there for him or be willing to work with him through his episodes.</p>
<p> It's not like he'd been sick his whole life most of it- sure- but not all of it. Doctors by in large agreed that he'd had some chronic illness for the latter part of his teen years but his intense flare-ups didn't come until shortly after he'd started college and been introduced to new and additional stress from his courses and work-study programs. <br/> Back then he had no idea that it would take him off his career path entirely but as his attacks got worse and his time in and out of hospitals took over his life, he knew without being told that his dream was over. He couldn't even get into JAXA under computer science, and all the course work he'd done.. all the hours of school and student debt he’d incurred... they meant nothing. As it turned out the Japanese space station didn't take kindly to gaps in education or employment- rendering all parts of his dream null and void.<br/>Even entry-level jobs that consisted of manual labor were off the table with his right hand acting up more than anything thing else.</p>
<p> Shiro let out a soft sigh as he watched a cardinal launch itself from a branch, flying off without a care in the world. In some ways he desperately wished he could be like that bird, free to fly and feeling weightless- instead, he was grounded, <span class="u"><em>permanently</em></span>. Tethered to this world by cords and monitors.<br/>He'd almost just given up and tried to go to sleep but the sound of the door sliding open and clicking shut behind someone caught his attention.</p>
<p>He'd expected a nurse, maybe even his parents (which he was realizing was significantly less likely, considering the state of the roads into town from the city) so when he was met with one of the prettiest people he'd ever met he thought, <em>surely</em>, he'd died and this was the afterlife.<br/>Clearly, there was <em>no way</em> some raven-haired angel, with eyes that shone like amethysts, had come to see him.</p>
<p>Shiro had let out a gasp without realizing it, his face warming up quickly as the stranger's lips quirked. The expression was somewhere between amused and annoyed, maybe even worried?</p>
<p>"I-"<br/>Shiro had started as the slender built individual made their way to his side, pulling up a chair.<br/>It was clear they'd be here for a while as they sat and extended a gloved hand.</p>
<p>"I don't know how you want me to introduce myself, I'm the one that found you and brought you here."<br/>Their voice was rougher than Shiro had expected, almost defensive.<br/><br/>He nodded as he took their hand,<br/><br/>"Ah- thank you, I'm not usually that bad. I'm very lucky you were there though.<br/>I'm- Most people call me Shiro-- feel free to introduce yourself however you'd like, I'm not one to judge."<br/><br/></p>
<p>"I go by Keith, I was... sent to your house to talk to you in place of your parents."</p>
<p><br/>Maybe that's why the younger male was being so cold, Shiro thought- a small frown on his lips as he reached up and brushed his forelock out of his face to the best of his ability despite the oxygen monitor on his finger.</p>
<p>"Oh- I see--"<br/> He'd started, wincing as the clip got caught on his hair.<br/>Before he could get it free the other was leaning over him, their chest nearly pressed into his face and they carefully untangled in without unclipping the monitor. Despite not knowing Keith, he knew they were kind. it helped that they smelled nice too.<br/>Leather, grease... and something musky yet very <em>clean</em> smelling. He hummed when his finger was finally free.<br/><br/></p>
<p>"s-sorry. I- you'd think with how often I'm in this hospital I'd know better by now."<br/><br/></p>
<p>"Are you sick?"<br/>Keith asked rather bluntly, Shiro would have taken offense if it had seemed like the other had meant anything by it.<br/>It instead came across more like a genuine question.</p>
<p><br/>"Ah- yes, nothing serious. I've got an auto-immune disease. My body is actively fighting itself, but it's not life-threatening..."<br/>Shiro explained.</p>
<p>"<span class="u"><em>not life-threatening.</em></span> says the guy I found face down bleeding on the floor."<br/>The raven-haired male sighed, shaking his head as he groaned. "You're lucky I was there."<br/><br/></p>
<p> Shiro cast his gaze down at the scolding, a pout on his lips that faded when he noticed that his arms were in fact bandaged. He'd been pretty out of it since he woke up and more focused on his joints than his arms.<br/> When everything hurt most of the time it was just easier to try and distract yourself from the pain, if he let himself get caught up in how bad it hurt he'd never get anywhere.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I am.. um, Keith? why were you there by the way? you said you were going to talk to me instead of my parents? what did you mean?"<br/><br/></p>
<p>Keith sighed, rubbing the back of his head before relaxing in his seat.<br/>"It's um, well. How it was explained to me was that if you didn't marry someone, they'd have to evict you and force you to move in with them."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"ah- yeah... that's the conversation that made me pass out, actually. We've been fighting about it for awhile now..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Right.. well, as it turns out our families knew each other pretty well and my parents made an arrangement with yours, that our families would join as one should anything happen to them."<br/>He huffed, looking a little flustered at this point.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh..."<br/>Shiro paused, he sounded all but defeated as he processed what that meant.<br/>They'd found someone for him...<br/><br/>against his will.<br/><br/> He'd have to marry someone he didn't want just to make sure he had a roof over his head. He knew there was no way his parents would have willingly agreed to let him marry a man so that mean only one thing. There was no way on earth he could ever even learn to love his new spouse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So... I'll be marrying your sister then? It's very honorable of my future brother-in-law to be visiting me."<br/>While Shiro had spoken honestly, he could see Keith's face twist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...yeah. totally." the smaller, raven-haired male huffed, shifting to stand up.<br/>"are you- do you need anything else? I'd like to get my stuff moved in if you don't need me."</p>
<p>Shiro was taken aback for a second, a little confused at first but he accepted it rather quickly nonetheless.<br/>"oh, no I should be good to get home on my own once I'm discharged. Do you know if my parents are going to try and come out soon?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No part of Shiro liked women, not romantically and most definitely not sexually. In fact, he was finding himself a little upset that he didn't get to marry this beautiful man. He'd probably follow them just about anywhere if they asked... but instead, he had to be saddled with their sister. <br/>He was sure they had to be just as attractive as his dark and mysterious savior, but the idea of a wife.. and kids.. and eugh, it made his skin crawl.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, in the next few days. I'm only moving... <em>our</em> stuff in and then I'm heading back to the states to finish some stuff up."<br/>Keith grunted, putting the chair back as he turned to step away. Despite their best efforts to be cold, the raven-haired boy couldn't help but turn back around and fix Shiro's blankets before pushing their water and medication at Shiro.</p>
<p>"The nurse left that for you, you need to take it and get some rest."<br/>He huffed, finally leaving but not before closing the door firmly behind himself.</p>
<p> Shiro felt his face warm up, mad at himself for finding them so endearing.<br/>Keith was like a stray kitten and it made him want to keep them regardless of what happened. It was a silly thought, that he could be so upset over a forced marriage with some random person he'd never even met before, but be excited to spend time with the one person involved that he <em>had</em> actually met.<br/><br/><br/><br/>                              *`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`*</p>
<p><br/><br/>Shiro took his time getting home after being discharged but sure enough, there were new boxes in his house. Some stuff had even been unpacked and clothes that were vastly too small for him had been hung up in his closet. '<em>these must be her clothes</em>' Shiro thought, a sad sigh leaving him as he moved to lay down.</p>
<p>Was this going to be his life now? a shared space with a complete stranger picked for him just because they were orphaned and his parents felt bad? Shiro crinkled his nose, rolling on his side as he reached his hand out. He tried to imagine what it would be like waking up next to someone.</p>
<p>Hopefully, they were as nice as Keith.</p>
<p>Maybe their personalities would be similar enough that he'd be able to trick himself into thinking-- <strong><em>no</em></strong>. no that was messed up.<br/><br/>Shiro closed his eyes and groaned, mad at himself for getting a crush on the person that literally came to tell him he would belong to someone else now.</p>
<p>It almost made Shiro regret not dating much. How was he supposed to know that his life would be over well before it even started?</p>
<p>weeks passed as Shiro waited for something, for his parents to show up, for his life to change drastically.. for Keith to come back.<br/> It made Shiro's face burn red when he caught himself thinking about them, about the soap they used to wash- and that deep earthy scent.<br/>Every time he'd found himself starting to stress or another flare-up of hives coming on- he thought about Keith and how close they were when they freed him from his own hair. He knew he had it bad for them, which made the idea of living with them and their sister... embarrassing at best and taboo and worst.</p>
<p>His heart nearly skipped a beat when his parents showed up with.. who he assumed must have been Keith's sister. They looked just like Keith.. but with longer hair and- ew, a worse scent. Nothing like overpowering <em>sweet</em> body spray to say, look at me- I'm a woman. They seemed... uncomfortable at best.</p>
<p>"Takashi, this is Akira. Surely you remember her."<br/>Was he supposed to? Shiro pursed his lips as he shifted his gaze between the two people.<br/>"Your mother and I felt bad for being so hard on you so we took the middle man out. Her parents had made a deal with us well over a decade ago and we figured you'd more than likely rather marry someone you knew."</p>
<p>Shiro rubbed the back on his neck, his brows knitted as he looked up at his mom like a kicked puppy.</p>
<p>"Shame on you, Takashi. You two used to play all the time as kids."</p>
<p>'<em>Akira</em>' seemed to light up at that, trying not to look too hopeful- but something in those soft purple eyes made him remember.</p>
<p><br/>Shiro looked absolutely mortified as he recalled being handed a slimy toad.<br/> No wonder he had no recollection of them.<br/>The kid he was remembering was scrappy and covered in dirt, not slender with long curly black hair and soft lips. "<br/><br/>You put a snake in my pocket and I <em>cried</em> Kogane." Shiro huffed, moving into his kitchen so he could put on the kettle. He knew that there was no getting out of this now. He would have to sit and talk with all of them.</p>
<p>as the day drew on into the late afternoon Shiro couldn't help his mind wander, Kogane... the frog kid, why had he never remembered the name Akira alongside it? more importantly, why didn't it feel right?</p>
<p>
  <span class="u"> <em>'I wanna be big and strong just like my daddy! so I can help you when you get hurt!'</em> </span>
</p>
<p>Shiro let out a soft sigh before excusing himself back to the isolation of his room. The memory seemed so long ago, he'd hardly even been able to recall it but the whole thing didn't sit right with him.<br/><br/>He could feel another episode coming, his legs weaker by the second. It was embarrassing if he was being honest, that something so simple as stress could literally immobilize him.<br/><br/>Before he sat down he had to check something that was bothering him, he needed to know before he went around pointing fingers. he pushed open his closet and carefully picked up one of the smaller shirts, giving it a soft sniff before putting it back. It was just as he'd thought.</p>
<p>Shiro sat on the edge of his bed, slowly pulling his legs in after him as he relaxed into the covers. He wanted to say he was surprised when the door opened and his future spouse came into the room.</p>
<p>"Can’t stay away from me huh?" Shiro hummed, shifting over a bit so they could sit next to him. "That perfume is <span class="u">awful</span> '<em>Keith'</em>, and you look better without the extensions."</p>
<p>He felt a little bad when the younger male gasped, their shoulders tense.</p>
<p>"how long have you known-"</p>
<p>"well, I didn't really know for sure.. but you just confirmed it for me." Shiro hummed, patting the bed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to bite."</p>
<p>When Keith sat down, Shiro sat up- grabbing a few pillows to prop himself up better. "Are you lying for my parent's sake?"</p>
<p>Keith gave a curt nod, reaching up to carefully undo the long black extensions.<br/> <br/> "You immediately assumed I had a sister... and you didn't even remember me so I figured I should play the part. I guess I changed too much huh?"<br/>He sighed, shifting to lay down next to Shiro. He stayed on top of the covers as they spoke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> "Yeah- you have. You're not some punk chasing me with creepy-crawlies anymore."<br/>The ashen-haired male teased, eyes tired as they relaxed.<br/> "I want you to know, it's not my fault that I didn't recognize you. Have you looked at yourself? How could I have guessed that ratty little bug boy was you?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You didn't remember my eyes?" Keith chuckled. "Or how nice I was being to you?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I thought you were just nice! some people are just nice."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Sure, keep telling yourself that '<em>Kashi</em>."<br/>Keith hesitated for a second before rolling onto his side in order to face Shiro, he rested his head on their chest and listened to their heartbeat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Why did you leave?" Shiro's voice was soft, almost afraid to ask the question. "Did you-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It wasn't because of you, Shiro. I. They found my mom, so I moved back over there but her line of work is... difficult, it's why our parents even made this contract in the first place. She's <em>gone</em> again. They don't know how long and sending me any money or renting for me will compromise her mission so-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You're homeless."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"And jobless, and poor. It sucks."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I can imagine... but- um, is it really something to get married over?" Shiro asked, worrying his lip.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I-..."<br/><br/>Keith's pause was telling, it almost hurt as Shiro's heart sunk.<br/>He knew Keith could hear his heartbeat skip too- which only made it worse.<br/><br/>"No. Honestly, I was... I still am hesitant. I'm sure you're a great guy and I care about you a lot... but I'm- well I've never imagined myself getting married. I didn't have it great back in the states, but at least I knew how to get by. It's been so long since I've been here. I feel like a fish out of water. It really pisses me off too that I have to give up everything so I don't starve to death."</p>
<p>Shiro moved slowly, a careful hand resting in Keith's hair as he tangled his fingers with the black mop. His steely grey eyes meeting Keith's.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Let's go then-" Shiro hummed as he sat up, wrapping his arms around Keith's waist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"what?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Let's go where you want to. My parents agreed to help me financially if I got married, they agreed to let me keep the house too... But we don't have to stay here."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Shiro-" Keith whined, their small frame practically dwarfed by the older man. "I- are you sure?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p> "Since you got here you've only cared about making me happy, even when you were mad you still checked on me."<br/>Shiro chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he hummed.<br/> "I think I can take care of you. We'll get a house in the states, we'll get married there and I'll see if there's a job I can work that won't affect my illness as much. It's not like I have much going on here, I can facetime my parents or we can go visit them once or twice a year. Stop putting other people first for once Keith. Be greedy, tell me what you want."</p>
<p>"I-"<br/>Keith felt his breathing catch in his throat, his heart racing as he looked up at Shiro.<br/>"I want that. I want to move back home, I want to live in a nice house with you. I want t-to, to be your husband, to be seen as a man by you..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If those words alone weren't enough to make Shiro flustered, seeing Keith beat-red and pouting certainly was. He felt so light, his stomach fluttering as he pressed close to them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Okay- You're my husband, Keith. I wouldn't want it any other way."<br/><br/>Shiro couldn’t help but smile, chuckled as he pressed his face into the crook of Keith’s neck. It was easy to relax with the wind rattling the glass panes of the old window in his bedroom, and the two of them watched from the bed as the clouds passed by.<br/><br/>Things had warmed up since Keith’s arrival, and just like with the cherry blossoms and the first few flowers to pop out of the ground- he could tell things were changing between the two of them and for the better.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AH, okay i'm so sorry that this took so long. I'm finally back in my flow...kind of. There was supposed to be some spicy attached to our newly wed couple but this fic was so soft and fluffy that it felt weird to just tack the big nasty right there at the end. (and i felt bad for taking so long with this TT^TT)</p>
<p>I will work on a 18+ addition to this fic... and make it apart of a series.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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